Remember being disciplined by your parents when you were a kid? Wasn't much fun was it. Remember the anger and hurt? Remember the sweaty palms, stomping feet, teary eyes and churning stomach?

For some reason, discipline never made my "Top 10 Favorite Past Times" list. Did it make yours?

Discipline, for many of us, is a rather scary word because it is associated with pain. Often discipline requires us to leave our comfort zones and venture out into areas that make us feel tremendously uncomfortable. But, discipline is one of the greatest keys to success that we possess.

Harry S. Truman was quoted as saying "If I want to be great, I have to win the victory over myself through self-discipline." He understood that victory starts within. More importantly, he understood that self-discipline is in fact the key to life itself.

We all know what keys are for. We have no problem knowing how to use these keys to unlock our car, home or office. But do we know how to use the keys that will unlock abundant life for us? Unfortunately, most of us have never been taught how to use these keys or what we should expect to experience from using them, yet this information is so vital.

There are many people who have given up on achieving their destiny through self-discipline simply because they did not understand what using the key would cost them. As soon as things got tough and their pretty, fluffy, perfect, "no effort" dream came crashing down to cold, stark reality, they gave up because it was not what they expected.

Don't be one of those people. Make sure you understand the following before you embark on using the key of self-discipline to unlock your destiny.

1) It's going to hurt. Understand that using the key of self-discipline is painful. Sorry, there is no way around this. If you are committed to your dream, you better make friends with pain....that means doing things you do not naturally want to do. Keep in mind however that it is pain with purpose. This is much less painful than pain without purpose.

2) It might bring out the baby in you. Understand that at first, using this key might rise up emotions in you that are pretty similar to the sweaty palms, stomping feet, teary eyes, churning stomach, and anger you experienced with discipline as a child. Remember, discipline is like a muscle that gets stronger with use. The more you use it, the more the child in you will learn to accept and live with it.

3) It will require you to start small. "Before you set out to clean up the world, first, clean up your room." - Rich DeVos. Most of us dislike small beginnings. We want the big things....now! But learning self-discipline in the little things is what will pave the way to big successes.

4) It's YOUR key, no one else's. Understand that you alone have exclusive rights to this key. Only you can use this key to unlock greatness in your life so quit looking for someone else to use it for you. Remember, it is not anyone else's responsibility to make you successful. It is up to you to plan your destiny and follow a dot-to-dot plan to success. Delays will happen, unexpected situations will arise, it will be hard but press on.

5) It will require you to quit lying to yourself. The truth will set you free and the truth is, your past does not determine your future nor does it have anything to do with using this key. You are as worthy of success as anybody. You are "good enough!" This key has the power to override a negative past so use it. Whatever your definition of success, slowly, surely, you can reach your destiny through discipline.